"Always" Is Here!!!

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Zanya Laurence presents a fresh, contemporary music project titled, ‘Stardust.’ Her strong lead vocals, harmonies & vocal arrangement complement her music production, fusing psychedelic soul, retro soul, r&b & pop with elements of electronica and contemporary crossover, & yet staying true to the elements of neosoul. The first song, ‘Dark Matter’ sets the tone of the album. You can hear a story not in words, but illustrated in the musical tones of her voice. ‘Stellar Love’ is fresh & upbeat. ‘You and I’ is one of my favorites on the album. It has a pop/r&b feel and I love how the chord change at the end dramatizes her vocals. ‘This is Who I Am’ has a multicultural feel in the production and continues with the same strong harmonies and rhythms.

The beauty of Laurence’s latest project is that there are several songs with crossover appeal. ‘Live the Dream’ with its inspirational lyrics has a pop feel with elements of neo-soul. ‘Fallen Prey’ has a retro soul vibe and puts you back in the sixties. ‘Some Days’ features smooth harmonies & ‘Light Years Ago’ has a unique, 70’s/Contemporary Acoustic feel. ‘Soulmate’ with its powerful words has a fresh, retro to neo-soul sound with highlights of guitar in the mix.

Some of our other neo-soul favorites on the album that stay true to Zanya’s laid back roots are ‘Footsteps’, ‘Stardust’ & ‘What If…’. ‘Keep Pushin On’ has a psychedelic soul/ electronica vibe paired with powerful lyrics. ‘Roll Right Off’ features a rapper that goes by Epic, giving it that authentic hip hop feel. The flutes in the production gave it that edge that remind one of hip hop back in the day. Last but not least, Zanya ends her album with a dance track that symbolizes her manifestation and aura. I really enjoyed ‘This is Who I Am (Part 2), which has an electronica vibe & guitar instrumentation. A true artist with eclectic style, Zanya’s album is a “must have” with authentic soul & creative vision that inspires the story of ‘Stardust.’

-Neo2soul Promotions

Neo2Soul Radio —
Godfrey Fletcher/ DJ Niceness

October 31, 2016

"She’s back! Loving this Neo-Soul future classic "Stellar Love". This one is for you lovers out there. It has a positive, uplifting feel that you can bob your head to riding on a deep Hip-Hop beat. Going by the single, the upcoming album should be well received!"

By the time I hit "Complicated," with Zanya Laurence cooing in a most heavenly fashion, there was no turning back. It meant that this would be a record that I would continue to return to, to drink from its waters again and again.

Laurence is a young talent with an obvious affection for classy, soulful artists such as Alicia Keys and the disappearing act known as Lauryn Hill. But Laurence holds her own, blessed with a rich, sultry voice that is no pale imitation of her idols. Best yet, she is remarkably disciplined; she doesn't attempt to sing outside of her range. However, the real strength of an artist is really judged from their songs. We have already established that Laurence can sing, and she can definitely do that well. But what about the tunes? Are they memorable or engaging? Yes.

"Down & Out" and "A Long Road" pulsate with a throbbing beat that only a strong, confident voice can create an emotional impact with. And, sure enough, Laurence does; her vocals not only capture the feelings of the lyrics but the groove of the music as well. She makes it sound so easy, and it's soothing sailing for the ears. The glowing "Sunday" is carried by jazzy textures and soaring vocals. "Sunday" is already worth the price of admission alone; fortunately, there are 15 more to seek delight from.

On her debut, this SoCal native displays captivating and emotive vocal pyrotechnics, fueled by a pop edged R&B backdrop that allows you to fully experience her talents. Also writing the lyrics on most of the songs, this is obviously music created with as much of Zanya’s heart and soul that she could possibly fuse into it. Anytime you can marry this type of talent with catchy, likable music you have something special going on.

The widespread influence of Alicia Keys cannot be measured anymore; however, only the artists who step beyond the conventions of R&B could be considered rightful heirs to her throne. Thankfully, Zanya Laurence is someone who is seemingly inspired more by Keys’ creative ambitions than her trademark style. That is how the best musicians develop, to absorb what has gone before and make it your own.

Like Keys, Laurence delivers a diverse menu, mostly light R&B sprinkled by smooth jazz, acoustic pop, and neo-soul. On “This Is My Life,” Laurence’s passionate voice forms an intimate bond with the piano, nearly becoming a single instrument. Her singing is both sweet and bittersweet, sometimes playful as on “Lose My #.” I find myself becoming most attracted to the unplugged charms of “Sunday” and “It Won’t Be Easy,” as the acoustic guitars offer a rain-drop ambience to Laurence’s voice that is absolutely lovely. The driving “Rhythm” is as close to hip-hop as Laurence gets here but this slickly produced and well-crafted R&B CD will have fans of the genre in a slow-jam buzz that won’t fade away for quite a while.

This up-and-coming artist has a sound that could easily appeal to millions of music fans. Always presents seventeen (!) slick pop tunes that are easy on the ears. And at the heart of the music are some wonderfully effective vocals. Ms. Laurence has a voice that can melt the hearts of fans...and her vocal overdubs are always spot on. In addition to having a fantastic voice, Zanya's also a songwriter driven to create. She wrote every single song on this album and they all pretty much hit the target. If we were to compare Laurence to anyone it would probably be Amy Winehouse because of the slight funky undercurrents in terms of rhythms and overall vibe. Smooth catchy cuts include "Listen To Me," "Karma," "Enjoy The Ride," and "Times Traveler." Smart reflective stuff with cool vibes...

"Following a gap of five years, Zanya Laurence is back with a great neo-soul album with a touch of jazz flowing through it. 17 quality, emotional songs about real life, delivered with passion & conviction.

My personal favorites include “Come To Mama” which has a jazzy edgy vibe, “Enjoy The Ride” where Zanya’s vocal range really shines through, “Control Freak” about a relationship that has gone wrong and” Constant Change” which has an India Arie Feel to it with the acoustic guitar.

I struggle to find a weak song on this fine set. Discover this fine album and find your own favorites, this girl could go all the way."

“There’s the sound of the city in Zanya Laurence’s album “Always”. A sound that evokes thoughts of neon lights, the moon and Cadillac Escalades with I see you but you can’t see me glass. It’s the sound of late night urban R&B.

Ms. Laurence’s approach throughout this album is to keep to the speed limit and stay within the law by never running a red light. There is an appeal in her elegantly restrained voice. “Good Day” – one of the most successful songs on this album – provides more than adequate proof that Ms. Laurence could find a true home in uptown supper clubs.

“Always” is an easy going album that suits the past midnight groove and Ms. Laurence has an endearing voice that charms the ears.”

Zanya Laurence presents a fresh, contemporary music project titled, ‘Stardust.’ Her strong lead vocals, harmonies & vocal arrangement complement her music production, fusing psychedelic soul, retro soul, r&b & pop with elements of electronica and contemporary crossover, & yet staying true to the elements of neosoul. The first song, ‘Dark Matter’ sets the tone of the album. You can hear a story not in words, but illustrated in the musical tones of her voice. ‘Stellar Love’ is fresh & upbeat. ‘You and I’ is one of my favorites on the album. It has a pop/r&b feel and I love how the chord change at the end dramatizes her vocals. ‘This is Who I Am’ has a multicultural feel in the production and continues with the same strong harmonies and rhythms.

The beauty of Laurence’s latest project is that there are several songs with crossover appeal. ‘Live the Dream’ with its inspirational lyrics has a pop feel with elements of neo-soul. ‘Fallen Prey’ has a retro soul vibe and puts you back in the sixties. ‘Some Days’ features smooth harmonies & ‘Light Years Ago’ has a unique, 70’s/Contemporary Acoustic feel. ‘Soulmate’ with its powerful words has a fresh, retro to neo-soul sound with highlights of guitar in the mix.

Some of our other neo-soul favorites on the album that stay true to Zanya’s laid back roots are ‘Footsteps’, ‘Stardust’ & ‘What If…’. ‘Keep Pushin On’ has a psychedelic soul/ electronica vibe paired with powerful lyrics. ‘Roll Right Off’ features a rapper that goes by Epic, giving it that authentic hip hop feel. The flutes in the production gave it that edge that remind one of hip hop back in the day. Last but not least, Zanya ends her album with a dance track that symbolizes her manifestation and aura. I really enjoyed ‘This is Who I Am (Part 2), which has an electronica vibe & guitar instrumentation. A true artist with eclectic style, Zanya’s album is a “must have” with authentic soul, creative vision that inspires the story of ‘Stardust.’